TABLE 1—
Distribution of REALD-30 and DNS Scores by Demographic Characteristics, Dental Use, and Oral Health Status Among Female WIC Participants: Carolina Oral Health Literacy Study, North Carolina, 2007–2009
| REALD-30b |
DNSc |
|||||
| Characteristic | No. a | % or Mean (SD) | Mean (SD) | Median | Mean (SD) | Median |
| All | 1280 | 100 | 15.8 (5.3) | 16 | 11.9 (3.2) | 12 |
| Race | ||||||
| White | 503 | 39.3 | 17.4 (4.9) | 17 | 12.0 (3.2) | 12 |
| African American | 522 | 40.8 | 15.3 (5.1) | 15 | 11.9 (3.2) | 12 |
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 255 | 19.9 | 13.7 (5.3) | 14 | 11.5 (3.3) | 12 |
| Education | ||||||
| Did not finish high school | 306 | 23.9 | 13.0 (4.8) | 13 | 11.1 (3.6) | 12 |
| High school diploma or GED | 479 | 37.4 | 15.0 (4.9) | 15 | 11.9 (3.1) | 12 |
| Some technical or college training | 430 | 33.6 | 18.0 (4.7) | 18 | 11.8 (3.1) | 12 |
| College degree or higher | 65 | 5.1 | 20.7 (4.8) | 21 | 11.0 (3.2) | 11 |
| Age, y, quintiles | ||||||
| Q1 (range: 17.2–20.9) | 256 | 19.5 (0.8) | 14.2 (4.8) | 15 | 11.4 (3.4) | 11 |
| Q2 (range: 20.9–23.4) | 256 | 22.1 (0.7) | 15.5 (5.2) | 15 | 12.1 (3.2) | 12 |
| Q3 (range: 23.4–26.5) | 256 | 24.8 (0.9) | 16.5 (5.0) | 16 | 11.6 (3.1) | 12 |
| Q4 (range: 26.5–30.9) | 256 | 28.6 (1.3) | 16.3 (4.8) | 16 | 12.1 (3.2) | 12 |
| Q5 (range: 30.9–65.6) | 256 | 37.7 (6.1) | 16.6 (6.0) | 17 | 12.0 (3.2) | 12 |
| Dental use (time since last dental visit) | ||||||
| < 12 mo | 727 | 57.1 | 15.8 (5.2) | 16 | 10.9 (3.2) | 11 |
| 12–23 mo | 218 | 17.1 | 16.1 (5.5) | 16 | 12.5 (3.0) | 12 |
| 2–5 y | 177 | 13.9 | 15.8 (5.6) | 16 | 13.3 (2.6) | 13 |
| > 5 y | 151 | 11.9 | 15.4 (4.7) | 15 | 13.9 (2.6) | 14 |
| “How would you describe the condition of your mouth and teeth?” | ||||||
| Excellent | 118 | 9.3 | 16.1 (5.6) | 17 | 9.0 (2.5) | 9 |
| Very good | 258 | 20.2 | 16.8 (5.3) | 17 | 10.3 (2.7) | 10 |
| Good | 481 | 37.7 | 15.6 (5.1) | 16 | 11.7 (2.8) | 12 |
| Fair | 287 | 22.5 | 15.5 (5.1) | 15 | 13.5 (2.8) | 13 |
| Poor | 131 | 10.3 | 15.4 (5.6) | 15 | 14.7 (3.1) | 15 |
Note. DNS = Dental Neglect Scale; REALD-30 = Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Dentistry; WIC = Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children. The sample size was n = 1280.
Column figures may not add up to total because of missing values.
The REALD-30 is a validated word recognition test in which scale score ranges from 0 (lowest literacy) to 30 (highest literacy).
The DNS asks participants to report their agreement with 6 items describing their dental behaviors, with responses ranging from “definitely not” to “definitely yes” on a 4-point Likert scale (6 = least dental neglect; 24 = most dental neglect). These items are: “I keep my dental care at home”; “I receive the dental care I should”; “I need dental care, but I put it off”; “I brush as well as I should”; “I control snacking between meals as well as I should”; and “I consider my dental health to be important.”